Brotli - the new compression algorithm from Google

Google is introducing a new compression algorithm named Brotli, which it says can reduce file sizes up to 26 percent over existing solutions.

The increased density is achieved by “a 2nd order context modeling, re-use of entropy codes, larger memory window of past data and joint distribution codes.”

Its current compression algorithm, Zopfli, isn’t being buried (yet, at least). Google notes Zopfli is already in use across various compression solutions, so shuttering it won’t happen straight away.

Brotli — Swiss-German for ‘small bread’ — is a big deal. It’s not an iterative deflate-compatible engine, but a whole new data format.

In a study, Google measured the compression speed and ratio of Brotli against current standards like Zopfli, LZMA and LZHAM. It found the new format used less CPU than existing remedies across all decompression corpora.

While it’s very early, Brotli is faster and more powerful in testing, meaning faster page loads and data transfer. It also uses less CPU and battery, and is open source just like its predecessor.

http://google-opensource.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/introducing-brotli-new-compression.html

Source: TNW News

An invite to our Vorian Agency Google Partner Event

We would like to invite YOU to our Google Partner Event

The Internet gives every business a chance to achieve success. We'd like to invite you to join our agency for a FREE Google event where you'll learn from digital marketing and advertising experts; Lucinda Barlow, Head of Marketing, Google Australia & New Zealand and Duncan McGrath, Google Ads Product Specialist & Marketing Manager, about how to grow your business online.

When: Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm WST
Where: Vorian Agency
Address: Level 1, Suite 90, 102 Railway Street, West Perth, WA 6005
Book Now: https://partnersconnect.withgoogle.com/event/vorian-agency

Vorian Agency, a West Perth based digital marketing company, is a certified Google Partner, Bing Ads Professional company, Hootsuite Solutions Partner and MailChimp Expert company. Our online marketing specialists are Google and Bing Adwords accredited and have had many years of experience working with thousands of clients across a broad range of industries and campaign types.

Vorian has affordable and cost effective SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), SMM (Social Media Marketing) and PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising solutions to suit everyone, from small businesses, start-ups, through to large enterprise clients. We have managed clients of every scale and budget with ROI (Return On Investment) and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) top of mind by increasing click-throughs, maximising conversion rates and reducing acquisition costs.

Are you ready to receive targeted, highly qualified website traffic, who are ready to buy from you and right now? As we are ready to deliver. Our team of Adwords specialists can get your campaign live and operational in days.

With CPC (Cost Per Click) advertising, pay only when someone clicks through to your website. As Vorian Agency is a Google Partner, we offer new business users to Google Adwords a $100 FREE Ad Spend credit when you spend $25. Your campaign is assigned a dedicated Google AdWords account manager. Our specialists research only the most effective search term combinations, and continually refine the campaigns through effective A/B testing, measuring and with transparent regular reporting.

What better way for your business to be found online and start directing qualified traffic to your business immediately. Find out more today with a no obligation free meeting with our friendly marketing team, and learn about the extensive range of services that Vorian Agency offer by phoning 1300 100 333 or emailing info@vorian.com.au. Call now to get your free website evaluation report!

Vorian Agency also offer an extensive series of free ongoing marketing training courses to support local small business growth and staff development #voriantraining. There are currently fifteen different two-hour courses presented by Vorian's General Manager, Matt Lynch. Bookings through the website http://www.vorianagency.com.au/resources/seminars/. Visit our Facebook page to hear the reviews from our satisfied trainees.

Google My Business Photography - Can you be found?

• 81% of internet users use search engines to find a website.
• 73% of all online transactions begin with a search engine.

Google Map Locations for businesses, the old ‘Google Places’ is now known as Google My Business. But it is now more that just a management console for your business location details… The Dashboard integrates: Location, Google+, Insights for your Business, Review Management, Google Analytics for your website, YouTube, Adwords Express, and even the ability to start a Hangout video call.

Vorian Agency is a Digital Marketing Agency based in West Perth, and we are Google Partners, Bing Ads Professionals, a Hootsuite Solutions Partner as well a MailChimp Expert company.

We're here to assist businesses of all shapes and sizes to be found online. Apart from a range of SEO and Marketing packages we also have a Google Certified Photographer who can photograph the interactive 360-degree Virtual Tours for your business for Google Maps or to place on your website or social media channel. We also have professional photographers to update your social media profile pictures, take product shots or images of your business.

Interested to see what a 360-degree Virtual Tour looks like for your business? Click here to view Vorian Agency and visit us virtually. Then call us on 1300 100 333 or email info@vorian.com.au to book your own photo shoot.

Tips to improve your Content Marketing

The Internet is all about information. It is because of this that generating content plays a sizable role in virtually any Web-related strategy. Google may have changed its algorithms more times that you would have wanted, but one thing has remained constant so far—the demand for high-quality content. Remember that saying ‘Content is King’?

Now you may be thinking, how can you make good content if you are not a pro in writing? No worries, the tips below will get you started:

General writing tips

• Know your readers

Assuming you have picked a topic, the first thing you have to keep in mind is who your readers are. Are they from your niche? Are they kids? Make sure to employ verbiage that will be understood by your readers. If you are unsure of the specifics of your readership, it’s best to keep your words simple. Use jargon only when necessary. Google Analytics demographic data will provide a very good insight into the persona of your converting consumers.

• Keep it brief

Make your content easy to read by keeping your paragraphs between five to seven lines in length. You can do this by getting to the point and avoiding unnecessary statements.

• Keep it personal

The best content is that which reads like actual conversations. Tell a story. Use “I” or “you” unless otherwise specified. It would also help if you could infuse your content with your personality to make it unique. You can make it humorous, entertaining or serious—the choice is yours.

• Organise

No one likes content that is all over the place. As such, make sure that your content flows smoothly from intro to finish. Do not be scared to use subheadings to divide your content into neat sections. If needed, use bold and italicise for emphasis.

• Use images

People can be very visual. As such, content with images are often more preferred than those with just text. Add images but make sure that they are relevant to your content.

• Manage expectations

Set the mood with a catchy headline. Click-bait, hyperbolic headlines may be popular today, but they do not suit every situation. Follow up your title with an intro that sets your readers’ expectation of the content. Support the intro with an informative content body. Finally, wrap up the content by ensuring that your readers understood your message once they finish reading.

Writing B2B content

There may be times when you will have to write with other business owners as readers. For instances like this, use the following tips:

• Write evergreen

Just like evergreen plants, make sure to write about topics that will stay relevant for a long time. Avoid fads unless they have potentially long-term effects. In case changes affect the relevance of your content, be prepared to make updates.

• Support your points

Simply saying that your product was well-received is not enough. Back up your statement with studies, surveys and figures. To make your content more engaging, you can employ visual aids such as infographics.

• Give readers a reason to read

Make sure that your readers will derive something from your content. A good idea is to keep it actionable through lists and how-to instructions. You can even add instructional videos and images. You can also offer industry insights or solutions to common problems. In the end, you may even offer resources that your readers can turn to for further assistance.

• Establish your authority

It will not harm you to talk about yourself in your content. Allocate a small part of the content to showcase your accomplishments as these will get your readers’ attention.

• Headlines

Headlines are the things your readers will notice. For this reason, it is vital that you create an excellent headline. Making sure that is as specific as possible is a good start. Indicate that your content is backed by data. Make certain that your readers know what they gain from reading your content.

• Make it interesting

Just because you are writing for business owners does not mean you have to make your content dull. Incorporate emotion and personality into your content as this will help in keeping your readers engaged.

Writing B2C content

Writing content for consumers is different from writing for business owners. Let the tips below guide you:

• Timing and topic

Customers want to be updated. Select topics that are trendy and post them as soon as possible. You may also cover the latest events in your content to attract more readers. If you can, incorporate pop culture to maximise shares and likes. Are you following trending hashtags for topic suggestions?

• Quantity is key

It is ideal that you post as often as possible, especially if you have a history of posting about the latest events.

• Use visuals

When writing for consumers, it is okay to have more visuals than actual text. You can even post hybrid content or a combination of different formats. This includes videos, podcasts and GIFs.

• Get their attention

Aside from using catchy headlines, you can also limit the length of your content so that it remains easily digestible and edgy. Use emotions to capture their interest. Use visuals that are emotionally charged, too. Make sure, however, to avoid making your content too heavy.

• Let readers participate

Consumers enjoy being able to participate. That said, it is a good idea to incorporate interactive elements to your content. Add quizzes and games, if you can. You can also enable commenting so readers can respond to your content. Asking a question at the end of your post can stimulate engagement, particularly with Social Media.

Writing great content is not as difficult as you may think it is. Just keep on practicing by writing often to hone your skills. The more you write, the better you will be at it and the more traffic your site will get.

For assistance with your online marketing requirements contact Vorian Agency on 1300 100 333, via our website www.vorianagency.com.au or email info@vorian.com.au

Using Canonical Meta Tags to address Duplicate Content site issues

If you are conscious about your website’s ranking in the search engine results, then one of the last things you want to find out is that you have several instances of duplicate content in your site. In case you do find an accumulation of duplicate content, don’t worry. You can always use the canonical meta tag as an effective means to address the issue.

What is the canonical tag?

The canonical meta tag is placed in the HTML header of a web page. It tells search engines that the page is a copy of the URL indicated in the tag and that it should be treated as such. This prevents search engines from imposing penalties for duplicate content on your page because of the existence of said copies. This is the canonical tag:

<link rel="canonical" href="URL here" />

“Wait,” you say. “I don’t create duplicate content. I don’t need the canonical tag.”

Indeed. Any responsible website owner knows that creating duplicates is one of the easiest ways to drop out of the rankings. As such, many go to great lengths if only to ensure that every page is populated by unique content. Duplicates, however, do not necessarily have to be created by you. Here are some of the instances by which duplicate content may be created without your knowledge—or consent:

·         The system may create session ID URLs in lieu of cookies or other URL trackers if they are disabled in your system.

·         Different URL cases are usually redirected to the same location but at times, they may be recognised by search engines as duplicates of each other.

·         E-commerce pages often make multiple URLs for the same page, especially if there are multiple available options for a single product. They also tend to use country-specific URLs to accommodate different currencies but these may be identified as duplicates of a single page.

·         The mobile version of a page is also prone to getting mislabelled as a duplicate.

·         Different mirrors of secured pages are often crawled separately and as such, may be read as duplicate content.

The canonical tag can be used to prevent these instances from having a detrimental impact on your website. While the process itself of applying the tag is straightforward, there are a number of ways that you can get it wrong.

1.       Do not have more than one canonical tag in a single page. A single canonical tag at the <head> section of every page is enough. Having more or putting the tag in the wrong place will lead the crawlers to ignore the tag(s).

2.       Do not use the canonical tag for multiple pages. In cases when you really must deal with multiple pages, you can use the prev and next tags instead of the canonical tag. You can also redirect crawlers to index a “View All” page instead. This page collates all the results together for easy review.

3.       Do not use your homepage as your preferred site. A canonical tag tells search engines to crawl the indicated URL instead of the page with the tag. Use this opportunity to have search engines reference the other pages in your site.

4.       Do not use canonical tags for featured content. There is a good chance that these pages will be ignored, making you lose some of the traffic for your features.

5.       Do not use 301 redirects and canonical tags interchangeably. While they do have similarities, 301 redirects are useful for when you have performed changes on your site’s structure. A 301 effectively redirects traffic, too. Canonical tags redirect crawlers, not traffic, and are great only for addressing duplicate content.

For all its apparent benefits, the canonical tag is effective only when you use it correctly. Keep in mind the proper mechanics before implementing it in your pages. You can look for strategies on the Internet on how you can use it or which other tags and techniques you can pair it with to give you better results.

Vorian Agency’s dedicated SEO – Search Engine Optimisation division is Search Group. Vorian Agency is a Google Partner, Bing Ads Professional, Hootsuite Solutions Company and a MailChimp expert company.  We provide free seminars on SEO and marketing best practices for businesses in Perth, Western Australia. We will help you get acquainted with the tools you can use to help you reach your marketing goals. Contact us now on 1300 100 333, visit us at www.vorianagency.com.au or email info@vorian.com.au to get started.

HTTPS and why your website should have it

In light of the controversy regarding the government’s encroachment on the privacy of Internet users, enhancing the security of your website has become more of a necessity than an option. Encrypting your website traffic by using HTTPS is a great start and can be advantageous for both your site and its users.

What is HTTPS?

HTTPS is the secure version of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the protocol used for the transfer of data between your browser and the website you are trying to access. In fact, the “S” in the abbreviation stands for “secure.” Because of its added safety features, HTTPS is used for online exchanges and transactions that demand heightened confidentiality, such as Internet banking.

HTTPS works by encrypting communication between your browser and the website’s server. The system uses a secured socket layer (SSL) to encrypt any information sent from and to the site, as well as the corresponding functionality to decrypt the enciphered communication. Encrypting the message protects it from hackers who may want to take your information without your consent.

Why is HTTPS not mainstream?

Despite its potential benefits, using HTTPS never became standard among website owners. Owing to the extra steps taken to secure your communication, implementing HTTPS used to add around three or more seconds to the website’s loading time, greatly dampening the quality of user experience.

There was also a time when Google couldn’t index websites that used HTTPS. Because of this, many website owners opted to use HTTP instead for a place in the rankings despite the security risks it posed.

Why use HTTPS now?

There have been a lot of changes in the Internet over the last couple of years and some of them had things looking up for HTTPS.  With these changes, it has become possible to encrypt information without the usual cons and reap the benefits from using the system.

1.       HTTPS now adds just a fraction of second to your site’s loading speed. This is a relatively huge markdown that could mean a lot when your audience is as fascinated with speedy deliveries as today’s users.

2.       Google actually recommends encryption and doing so might improve your rankings. Using HTTPS improves customer experience after all. Just do not expect to rise to rank 1 immediately as HTTPS is just one of about 200 factors Google looks at for its rankings.

3.       It is better for your paying customers. Money-related information is very sensitive and is a popular target for hackers. Encrypting data will ensure that your customers’ transactions with proceed smoothly and without any risk.

4.       It prevents information theft. There may be features in your site that are accessible only after users left their personal information with you. As the website owner, it is your responsibility to keep these details secure. Encryption will prevent hackers from accessing your customers’ personal details.

5.       It makes you appear more trustworthy. Once customers see that your website is secure, they will be more willing to interact with you. They will also be more likely to purchase your products or your services.

To be fair, HTTPS is not perfect system. It has its own share of weaknesses. As a matter of fact, some companies are considering even more secure channels for monetary transactions. Despite this, HTTPS remains an important and very doable security boost for your website.

Taking security a step further, consider EV – Extended Validation SSL certificates, to provide the next layer of validation and check processes protecting the integrity of the SSL certificates. EV certificates display a green URL bar in the browser, making a very visual representation to the user that they have entered into a secure environment. Implement it now and reap the benefits.

Crawling versus Indexing for Search Engines (SEO)

If you want a basic introduction into how search engines work, Google in particular, then crawling and indexing should be among the first processes you need to understand. Just think about it this way: without them, Google would not be able to provide you with the same quality of results, if it can at all.

The need for information is the main reason for the existence of Google and other search engines. They allow users to access data stored online, such as text content, images, videos and PDF file, amongst many other formats. For them to be able to do this, they must efficiently gather and organise information in a way that will provide value for their users, and match the profile, past search history, location, and specific search query terms that the user enters within the search field.

Crawling and indexing are vital to the search engines’ ability to provide information to their users. Crawling, in laymen’s parlance, is the search for information. It requires the use of “crawlers,” which utilise links to examine the pages within a website and gather data. The information acquired is then stored in the search engine’s servers for later retrieval. You can influence the movements of crawlers through a sitemap (indicating which pages need to be crawled) and a robots.txt file (indicating which pages should be excluded from crawling).

Indexing is the process of organising gathered information. Once the information is gathered, the search engine organises the data to make it easier to process and retrieve. The index contains basic information about the data and where it may be found, much like the index you find in a book. Once a user conducts a search, the search engine uses its algorithms to look up answers from within its indexed information. Today’s search algorithms do not just process text results; they also analyse the search terms to determine whether the keywords correspond to other forms of content, too.

Obstacles to crawling and indexing

While search engines are usually able to successfully crawl and index sites successfully, there are times when they would be hindered from doing so. As a website owner or webmaster, you’d want to eliminate obstacles so that your site is crawled smoothly and indexed by search engines.

Here are some of the factors that can hinder crawling:

1.       The absence of links to a URL

2.       Slow servers or server downtime

3.       Robots exclusion prohibiting access to files

4.       Links that do not contain valid URLs (JavaScript links)

5.       Broken <html><css><js> code

6.       Excessive top heavy code

Meanwhile, here are some of the variables that hamper indexing:

1. Duplicate content
2. Unreliable server deliveries

Removing the problems listed above from your site is a good way to ensure that your site is successfully covered and that it appears in the search results every time relevant keywords are used as search terms.

Simulating crawlers

Search engines do not see your site the way you see it. Looking at your site from the perspective of a crawler will help you identify aspects that need improvement, as well as various ways to optimise your site for maximum results. Here are some of the tools you can use to simulate what crawlers see when they visit your site.

Spider Simulator - SEO Chat

http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/spider-simulator/

Spider View - Iwebtool

http://www.iwebtool.com/spider_view

Search Engine Spider Simulator - Anownsite

http://www.anownsite.com/webmaster-resources/search-engine-spider-simulator.php

SE Bot Simulator - XML Sitemaps

http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/se-bot-simulator.html

SE Spider - LinkVendor

http://www.linkvendor.com/seo-tools/se-spider.html

Spider Simulator from Summit Media

http://tools.summitmedia.co.uk/spider/